Now
that you have learned "Sharps"
you are ready to learn about "Flats."This is the black
note's other name.

The
word "Flat" is also like
short hand in typing. It's a short hand
way of saying that you are to move 1 "half
step" down the keyboard.

As
an example, go to "E" on
the keyboard. Move down (left) to the first
black key (1-half step). You are now
on the "Flat" of "E."
Another way of saying this is that you have
"Flatted" E.

"I
think of it as bending the note downward
to make the note sound lower or trying to
flatten it. And, sharping the note makes
the note sound higher."

Hence,
the name of this black note is "E
Flat." Now go to "A"
and move down 1 "half step"
to the nearest black key. The name
of this black key is "A Flat."

Whenever
you see the symbol "" on the staff next to a note, it means that the composer
wants you to play a note that is 1 "half
step" down from the note
he or she has shown on the staff. Let's
look at how that is written on the staff.
Go to the next page.